Patents by Inventor Dirk E. Nichols

Dirk E. Nichols has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20140054051
    Abstract: A tillage implement with raisable soil-leveling reels includes a main frame, which can include a center section and wing sections hingedly connected to the center section. The wing sections are adapted for being hydraulically rotated and raised from generally horizontal field positions to transport/storage positions. Gangs of earth-working tools, such as coulter discs or tines, are mounted on the wing sections. The soil-leveling reels are mounted on trailing arm assemblies, which are adapted for raising and lowering the reels between raised, transport/storage positions and lowered, field-engaging positions. Hydraulic piston-and-cylinder units are connected to compression springs and adapted for raising and lowering the arm assemblies and the reels. The compression springs absorb and dampen jolts and impacts from field irregularities and transport motion-induced forces, thus protecting the piston-and-cylinder units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Landoll Corporation
    Inventors: Donald R. Landoll, Dirk E. Nichols
  • Patent number: 6422376
    Abstract: An auger coupler for a folding grain conveyor is disclosed which operates to connect an upper auger to a lower auger. A drive member adapted to be connected to the lower auger include a pilot shaft designed to help align the drive member with the driven member and an annular thrust bearing surface surrounding the pilot shaft. Spaced outwardly from the thrust bearing surface is an annular row of drive teeth. The drive teeth project axially upwardly from an annular base surface which is parallel to and concentric with the thrust bearing surface. A driven member adapted to be connected to the upper auger includes a receiver sized and shaped to accept the pilot shaft of the drive member. The receiver is also surrounded by an annular thrust bearing surface. Spaced radially outwardly from the thrust bearing surface is an annular row of driven teeth which are structurally identical to the drive teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Sunflower Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk E. Nichols, Jeffrey S. Hughes